THE DRY

Australia, 2020, 117 minutes, Colour.
Eric Bana, Genevieve O'Reilly, Keir O' Donnell, Sam Corlett, Julia Blake, Bruce Spence, James Frecheville, Matt Nable, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, William Zappa, John Polson, Eddie Baroo, Be Be Bettencourt, Miranda Tapsell, Martin Dingle Wall, Renee Lim.
Directed by Robert Connolly.

This reviewer came to The Dry rather later. There had been the excellent reviews (left unread for the time being), the news that it had broken Australian box office records, a lot of good comment about its relationship to the novel on which it is based, The Dry, by Jane Harper.

So, quietly visiting a multiplex, and discovering that it lives up to the reviews and the comment. In fact, it would be intriguing to read the novel now and see how insightful the adaptation has been.

The initial images, many aerial images of the vast paddocks, dustily dry, harsh country roads, the information that it is almost been a year since it rained in this part of western Victoria, certainly evoke an atmosphere which pervades the whole film. Then there are some moments in metropolitan Melbourne, introducing Aaron Falk, Australian Federal Police, a phone call suggesting he attend a funeral of his late friend. Aaron is played rather quietly and persuasively by Eric Bana.

On the one hand, The Dry is a murder mystery, initially judged a murder-suicide, a man, his wife, his son. However, his parents (welcome cameos from veterans Julia Blake and Bruce Spence) do not believe this and pressure Aaron to investigate, especially after he attends the requiem, and an upset at the subsequent home gathering, increasing clues, and quite a range of suspects. A strong supporting cast of Australian actors bring all the minor characters to life, often quite briefly, but always effectively.

But, as with complex dramas, there is much more. Aaron has not visited the town for 20 years, especially after the drowning death of a girl who was one of his close friends, part of the group that bonded, swam together, dated, including a teacher at the local school, Gretchen (Genevieve O'Reilly) and Luke, the man who was considered to have killed his wife and family. There are many indications throughout the film that lies have been told.

This western district Victorian town provides an authentic feel to the setting of the film as well, the point being made as in so many similar stories, the towns present and past our cloaked in secrets and lies.

Aaron discovers a number of the secrets while he has contributed himself to the lies in the past. Ultimately, a killer is unmasked which released something in the consciousness of this reviewer that when a villain is revealed, it can be something of a disappointment because the reader or the viewer has made up their mind that the killer is someone else (and want that one to be that killer).

Then, it is in the last five minutes, that the mystery of 20 years earlier opens up and there is a satisfactory resolution to the drama of The Dry.

1. The title? The visuals, drought, the paddocks, the consequences of drought, fire?

2. The locations in western Victoria, the paddocks, the roads, the town in the streets, hotels, doctor's surgery? Homes? Properties? The school? The musical score? And the plaintive song during the film and for the final credits?

3. Acclaim for the original novel, the adaptation for the screen, praise for the adaptation?

4. The introduction, the visuals of the dry, the aerial shots? The contrast with central Melbourne, the high buildings, the glass, the apartment? Aaron, Australian Federal Police, getting dressed, the phone call, urging him to go back to the town, to his past?

5. The situation: the alleged murder-suicide, Luke, Karen, their son Billy? The visuals of the door opening, Karen and the blood and her wound? The boy in the other room? The baby crying?

6. The funeral, the priest and the gathering, the Catholic atmosphere? So many people at the funeral? The wake, Barbara and Gerry, Barbara making the speech, Grant’s outburst and accusation?

7. Barbara and Gerry, their grief, Gerry working out with the fences, the property and the inheritance? Jerry insisting that Aaron look at the books and accounts? Aaron unwilling, the pressure from Gerry?

8. Aaron, in himself, his age, his work as a policeman? Leaving the town 20 years earlier? Going to the hotel, staying one night, extending his stay? The personality of the hotel host? Scenes in the hotel, Grant, drinking, Deacon and his drinking, mistaking Aaron for his father? Setting up the tension?

9. The glimpses of the other people in the town, characters, possible suspects? Jamie, living with his grandmother, issues of the property, the doctor, Aaron interviewing the doctor, Jamie and the fight in the hotel, Aaron taking him to the doctor, the stitches, the touch of the hand, the indication of the relationship? Motivation for Jamie being bashed? Scott,
the accounts, his wife and her Asian background?

10. The local policeman, pride in his work, his ambitions, his wife, her aboriginal background, pregnant? Welcoming Aaron to the meal? The policeman and his investigations, collaborating with Aaron, their discoveries?

11. Gretchen, Aaron and the past, her teaching the school, the discussions, her shooting the rabbits, Aaron unable to, the evidence of the colour of the bullets? Gretchen and her son, the meal with Aaron, the sexual connection, his going to the house, the photo album, his realising that Gretchen's son was Luke's? The accusation, her anger, ousting him?

12. The flashbacks, the four friends, scenes of the swimming hole, Aaron at the tree, Ellie and the necklace? The friendship with Aaron and Luke? Ellie's death, the drowning, the police? Aaron going to the cemetery, encountering Deacon, his outbursts of anger?

13. Aaron, extending his stay, going back to the tree, finding the knapsack, reading Ellie's diary, the flashbacks, her father, reading about the sexual abuse, the visualising of the father and his anger with his daughter?

14. The aftermath of Ellie's death, the lies, Luke and his lies, the alibi, Aaron's father driving him away, pursued by Deacon, his lying to his father? The later talk with Gretchen, her seeing Ellie, not stopping her, feelings of guilt over the years?

15. The interconnectedness of the two cases, the range of suspects?

16. The word Grant on Karen's page? Suspicions of Grant? His behaviour? Aaron going to school, Gretchen and the filling in of the forms, his taking the documents, the realisation that there was discussion about the finance grants for the school?

17. Scott, the initial help with the documents, seeing him and his gambling, his wife and her concern? The explanation of moving from the city to the country? His stealing the money, the phone calls confirming this? Aaron and to the policeman going to the school, going to arrest Scott? His being out in the bush, under the tree, his confession and explanation, the petrol, pouring it on himself, the lighter, on fire, the danger to the school in the drought, Aaron and the policeman dousing him? In the hospital sequences?

18. The murder resolved, the past resolved? As burdens lifted, the future¦?